Without A Trace
by Grey Garnet
Summary: He's gone. Attorney's badge and all. The man who saved him has disappeared without a trace. But he left something behind. Evidence. Evidence that Miles Edgeworth hopes will lead him to his childhood friend. The man who he can't seem to live without.
1. Prolouge

A/N: Just a prolouge. Well, I would say 'teaser' but it's hardly that. A few important facts about this story are that it takes place AFTER the events of AAI and AJAA, rating is subject to change, and expect phoenixxedgeworth. I don't own Ace Attorney or any of it's characters...SOB...

* * *

He had hoped to arrive earlier than late afternoon. The sun slowly began its decent from the high skies as a man dozed off in the passenger seat of a red sports car. He lay there, slumped with his head pressed against the cool glass of the window. Traffic was unusually calm, allowing a smooth ride from the airport, lulling the young man into a light sleep.

A small chuckle was heard from the driver. He was a big man, with a potentially muscular build. He had short brown hair and a chiseled chin, giving his face an overall square appearance. Wearing a trench coat that looked like it could be at least fifty years old, the man looked gruff, and seriously underpaid. Turning his eyes back to the road, his mind was still humored by his sleeping companion. He was always so serious and alert. The thought of him carelessly dozing off on a car ride amused the driver.

A jolt suddenly shook the car, claiming the driver's full attention. His negligence to his driving had caused him to hit a dangerous looking pot hole. Gritting his teeth, he cursed, fearing his companion's wrath, should it be that the car was damaged. However despite the sharp jolt of the car, the young man did not wake, regardless of the driver's fear. He merely shifted, a strand of dark brown hair from his lengthened bangs drifting over his face.

_Funny…. _The driver thought to himself_. He looks almost harmless when he's asleep… _The man winced, reminiscing about various verbal beatings and reductions in pay given to him, and many others involved in the police department by his companion. Despite his companion's frequent rants regarding his abilities as a detective, threats to further decrease his pay, and questions about his mental health, the detective was eternally loyal to the sleeping man. Considering their polar opposite appearance, the driver's meager coat and the passenger's expensive looking maroon suit, one would never assume they were partners. The two had managed to push through nearly every dangerous or straining situation over the years, from the time when they first met and cleared the detective's name for a double homicide, to this day.

At last, the destination came into view. It was a tall building; complete with an underground parking lot and the essence of it all screaming 'I was expensive'. Pulling in, the detective parked in an eerily familiar space. Years ago, in this very car and this very parking spot, a body was found in the trunk. Shuddering about the memory, he mumbled a quick sentence to himself, pleading for his own safety. His reasoning being that although he claims to be a man of the law; ghosts frighten him. Also, the fact that the body found in his partner's car was the body of a detective bothered him as well.

Nevertheless, he forced himself out of the car and opened the passenger side door. Gently, he put his hand on his superior's shoulder. Hoping that the young man would be in a good mood when woken up, he lightly shook him awake.

"Mr. Edgeworth? Mr. Edgeworth, sir! We've arrived at the prosecutor's office, pal!"

* * *

A/N: ...And that's all she wrote. Literally. That's ALL I wrote. Ok, so I know it's not very much but it's just a prolouge, so don't get your panties in a pinch. I don't expect any reviews, but if you feel you must, by all means. 3


	2. I

**A/N: hey~**

**Update! It's been roughly a week. Not to bad, in my opinion. Also, you'll notice there are alot of dividing lines in this chapter. I figured it's easier to read this way, like when it switches locations or POVs. I'm also sure it's clear which parts have been looked over by my Editor and which parts have not. xD **

**Speaking of my edior! She is an amazing ARTIST! on Deviant Art! Her username is Rewrry, so please look her up! **

**Incase it isn't clear, italics are thoughts. **

**I don't own shit.**

* * *

"I'm sorry, what was that?" With a sigh, the experienced prosecutor flicked his eyes upward at the one addressing him. He massaged his temple with a free hand, cursing himself for dozing off mid-conversation. Sleep had been escaping him recently, making napping and dozing off a daily ritual for him.

"Y-yes sir. Forgive me for disturbing you, Mr. Edgeworth, but the Chief Prosecutor has called for you. He's waiting in his office."

With a sigh, he responded. "Yes of course. I'll be just a moment," His eyes returned to his papers and, with a gentle motion of his hand, excused the timid intern from his regal office. Edgeworth was fearful however, for he had a bad feeling about what this sudden meeting with the chief would entail.

* * *

"Ah! Miles my, boy! So good to see you! Please, please make yourself comfortable."

Awkwardly, Miles sat down opposite the Chief Prosecutor, a massive wooden desk separating the two. _Funny…. _He thought to himself. _It's almost as if a prosecutor's worth is measured by how clean and impressive his desk looks… _A smirk spread across his lips , secretly admiring his own massive prosecutorial desk back in his office.

"Tell me, my boy, how was Zeng Fa?" The chief asked, his wrinkled hands making dramatic motions as he spoke.

"Quite refreshing actually" He replied. "It was pleasant to see a country get back on its feet after such a wide-spread scandal." Years prior, Miles had aided the solving of a massive counterfeit currency crisis, after which he had traveled to Zeng Fa, along with INTERPOL agent Shi Long Lang in order to aid in the prosecution of the culprits.

"Yes…." The chief continued. "Your solving of that case was a fine example to set for new prosecutors." Politely, Edgeworth cleared his throat, in an attempt to move the old man on to the point of this meaning. "Yes, yes, to the point" Breathing heavily, the chief continued. "I'm old, Edgeworth. You know as well I do that I shouldn't even be here."

_Yes, that's true… _Miles thought. After the ordeal with Lana Skye and Damon Gant a few years back, the public felt uncomfortable with any of the current prosecutors taking over as the new chief. Ergo, to put the public at ease, the previous chief prosecutor was called out of retirement to fill the job. Seeing where this was going the young man spoke up. "With all due respect sir, I really must object-"

"Now, now, Miles, let's not get ahead of ourselves." The old man interrupted. "I have no intention of announcing you as my successor."

Eyes widened, Edgeworth was shocked. Yes, it was true that he didn't want the position, for it would take him further away from the courts and hands on investigations. But this old man was making it sound as if he, Miles Edgeworth, was underqualified. _Th-this cannot be…! _His mind raced. The young attorney panicked, his pride bruised.

"Miles, you're sweating bullets. Not to worry my boy," The chief chuckled to himself.

_Why does everyone call me 'boy'?_ Edgeworth thought, annoyed.

"I have full confidence that that you are, if not more so, fully qualified for the position." He hesitated. "However…"

Edgeworth winced, anticipating what was to come.

"Again…it comes down to the public." The chief fidgeted as he spoke, as if nervous to talk to his subordinate. "As you are well aware, the suspicion over your work ethic, and various charges of murder and illegal evidence have all been cleared as far as the law is concerned, but the public, I'm afraid is not so forgiving." Edgeworth's dark eyes drifted to the floor as circumstances, for the most part out of his control, were spelled out before him. "I'm sorry, Miles. But when you take your history into account, you cannot succeed to my position at this point. It would cause panic in the public."

Rising a hand to his forehead, the young man mentally pleaded for this torturous meeting to end. Opposite him, the chief seemed to sense his anguish, remained silent for a moment, as if to allow his words to sink in.

"Is this all you needed to consult me with?" Edgeworth said, breaking the silence, his voice as smooth and controlled as ever.

"Well, yes and no….I have come to a decision based on what I've just told you. It relates to you." The chief replied, slowly regaining the confidence in his voice. Edgeworth's chestnut eyes flicked up to meet those of the chief at his statement, expressing interest. The old man continued. "You wouldn't know, considering you've been constantly traveling in and out of the country for the past eight years, but there is a new prosecutor who's caught my interest."

_New attorney?_ Edgeworth thought, curious.

"He's got quite a few cases under his belt, and has accomplished quite notable feats in his short career."

"Feats, sir?"

"Yes. He has cost two of the most respected defense attorneys in the district their badges! One a murderer, and another a fraud with forged evidence! Can you believe that?" The man talked about the new prosecutor like a proud father.

_Two defense attorneys…this kid must have potential. But I have to wonder… _Just then Edgeworth felt the color leave his face. Fear. It seemed as if in that moment the only thought in Edgeworth's mind was the color blue. The old man continued his ramblings, praising the up and coming prosecutor. Edgeworth, however, was in a daze, slowly contemplating if what he feared was true.

"To get to my point, Miles, I'm assigning you an apprentice of sorts. "

That caught his attention.

"I want you to instill in him what it means to be a prosecutor. I have high hopes and expectations for this boy, and the last thing I want is for him to get caught up in scandals as you did." The chief was never good at putting things lightly. "I expect you to have read through all his case files by the end f the week. You may go."

"Yes, sir." Was all Edgeworth managed to force out, his mind too preoccupied with the recent news. And with that, their meeting came to a sudden end as Edgeworth left the room. As if in a trance, his body carried his transfixed mind back into his elegant office. He casually slumped down onto his maroon sofa and sighed, silently thanking the benevolent forces at work which had allowed him to escape from the usual piles of trouble dumped on him upon his return. At last, he could have a moment of peace and quiet in the safety of his office.

"Mr. Edgeworth, sir!"

And then the peace left as quickly as it came.

"Mr. Edgeworth, I just heard the news! Ho ho ho, you're finally getting someone to whip into shape, eh pal?" Despite the fact that Edgeworth had no idea how detective Dick Gumshoe of all people found out about the news, considering the meeting just held was private, he couldn't help but notice how the detective flinched at the word 'whip'. "I've got his case files right here, sir." The detective continued obediently as he dumped a jaw-droppingly-large pile of thick files on the shiny brown desk.

Groaning, Edgeworth forced himself up and over to his desk. He flipped the edges of the files, debating on whether or not to crack them open, his worry for a certain defense attorney slipping his mind. As he skimmed through the first few pages, he ordered the detective to brief him on the recent changes in the legal system while he was away.

"Well, the prosecution office has been on a roll lately…"

_Hmm…._Edgeworth thought, completely tuning out the ramblings of detective Gumshoe, as he read through the personal details of his newly appointed protégé_. It seems as if this prosecutor is also a celebrity of sorts…._

"…I guess that's because Mr. Gavin and Mr. Wright are outta the picture…"

Absorbed in the new prosecutor's file, Edgeworth didn't even notice the mention of Wright's name, and remained ignorant of what Gumshoe had been disclosing.

"Well, I guess there's this one defense attorney giving us a bit of grief…what was his name? Athena?"

"That's a woman's name, detective." Edgeworth spoke up, closing the file and tuning back into Gumshoe's ramblings. "And I believe I asked you to report on changes in the legal system, not gossip amongst the attorneys."

"Ah! Right! Yes, sir!" Gumshoe continued, breathing heavily, as if exhilarated about the topic. "Yeah he did a real good job with this new system, pal." Gumshoe then elaborated on the details of the newly installed jury system currently being used in the courts.

"I see…thank you Detective." Edgeworth said as he stood up and grabbed his briefcase, adding a few files from the pile on his desk into it.

"Wh-where are you going, sir!"

"Start the car Detective. My newly appointed 'apprentice' has a trial beginning soon. I'd like to see his prosecutorial skills first hand."

* * *

_Nghhh….Nervous…why am I so nervous? I've done this before! _A man with a worried expression sat in the defendant lobby, nervously fiddling with his hands. "…Gah….where IS he? The trial's about to start! I guess this guy's just as useless as he looks…" He grumbled to himself.

"Hey, buddy! You the defense attorney?" A bailiff called to him from the door. Turning, the attorney saw his client, being escorted to him by the bailiff. The judge had requested to see the defendant in his chambers before the trial.

"Y-yeah that's me." He replied, awkwardly shuffling over to his client to greet him. His client was a blonde man, age 33, and he had an ignorant smile plastered all over his face.

"Heya Polly! How goes it?" He greeted, holding his hand out in an attempt to greet his attorney with a high five.

Ignoring his hand, Apollo Justice sighed, and thanked the bailiff. "I thought I said not to call me that."

"But that cute girl you were hanging with gets to call you that…" He replied, pouting.

"You realize she's only sixteen, right?" Good _god, why on earth did I take this case? _He thought to himself, his annoyed expression clearly reflecting his thoughts. His mentor's words echoed through his mind, as if to respond to his thoughts.

"_Apollo, this man is an old friend of mine, and deserves a proper defense. The only thing he's guilty of his being an idiot."_

_You got that right, Mr. Wright… _Apollo sighed again, and scratched the back of his head, dreading the oncoming trial. Clearly against his mentor's decision, he silently mocked him, making various hand gestures and grumbling to himself.

"Uhh…you ok, Polly?"

"It's Apollo! And I'm fine!" He shouted, only to realize that the voice who asked him was a girl standing behind him.

"Haha is that supposed to be Daddy? Not bad, Polly." She continued, ignoring his shouts of protest at his nickname.

"Trucy…? When did you get here?" Apollo turned to see his cape-clad, self appointed, assistant.

"Heeeeeey, Trucy! How's it goin'?" His client interrupted, casually slinging his arm around Apollo's shoulders.

"Would you please get off?" Apollo retorted, shoving his client down to the ground, his expression quickly changing from annoyed to angry. The blonde looked up at his attorney from the ground, lame tears now streaming down from his face.

"H-how could you…?" He sobbed, sporting his best puppy dog face.

"Because you, you….!"

"Now, now, Apollo, this is no way to start a trial." Turning, Apollo met the eyes of former defense attorney Phoenix Wright. "What have I told you about smiling? The same thing my mentor told me…." He continued, with a disappointed frown somewhere hidden beneath his five o' clock shadow. "He is not guilty and you need to show the court that."

"Yes, yes, I know!" Leaning towards his mentor, Apollo continued in a hushed tone. "But seriously Mr. Wright, this guy's hopeless."

"Every lawyer, prosecutor or defense attorney, has to deal with him at some point. And now it's your turn." And with that, he turned and headed to the exit, only to be stopped by Trucy.

"Daddy, you're not gonna stay for the trial?" She stood in front of him, attempting to use her body as a human shield to prevent her father from leaving.

"I've seen enough trials with that man to know how this one will go." He said, gesturing to Apollo's client, an amused smile playing at his lips. "Sorry, Trucy. Be a good girl and help out Apollo. I have some work to do anyway." Gently lowering his daughter's arms, he moved passed her and walked out, his blue wool hat disappearing through the double doors.

Pouting, Trucy trotted back over to Apollo and dragged him by the wrist into the court room. "C'mon, Polly, let's get going."

"Wait! Huh? Trucy, slow down!" Apollo cried, nearly falling over as he was dragged into the courtroom.

"Hey, wait for me! I'm only the one on trial here!" Catching up to his defense team, Apollo's client rushed through the doors. "Hey, that was Nick, right? Man he's like a completely different person…" He spoke, a serious tone to his voice. Before Apollo could turn to ask his client what he meant, the baliff caught him by the arm and escorted him to the defendant's seat.

* * *

Sighing and ruffling his hair through his hat, Phoenix Wright silently wished Apollo and his client good luck as he left the courthouse and onto the front stairs, wet from the rain. The skies were grey, but the heavy morning rains had stopped for now, leaving only a gentle drizzle. He looked out at the parking lot, seeing lawyers scurry to and from their cars, filtering in and out of the courthouse. Some slipped on their way up the water smoothed stairs, while others went up and down at a remarkable slow pace as if to keep their balance.

He recognized a purple motorcycle parked in the lot as well, with a silver 'G' painted on the side. He smirked, knowing the owner was going up against Apollo in the trial about to take place. Suddenly, a familiar vehicle pulled into view. It was a shiny hot rod red sports car, and seemed almost new.

_Where have I seen that car before…?_ Phoenix thought. And as if on cue, the answer came to him. As the driver stepped out of the car, a flood of memories washed over the former attorney's mind.

It was detective Dick Gumshoe. He and the detective had worked on countless cases together, but drifted apart when he left his attorney's badge behind. He felt as if he couldn't tear his eyes away, despite every fiber of his being screamed 'run!'. He felt himself panic, as Gumshoe clumsily shuffled over to the passenger door, umbrella at the ready. Phoenix knew all too well who was about to emerge, and what would happen should he be confronted by him.

Flustered, Phoenix shoved his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and looked at his feet, in an attempt to hide his face, and quickly made his decent down the long flight of stairs.

* * *

Stepping out of his car and under the safety of his umbrella, Miles Edgeworth turned to gaze at the courthouse. His life had been changed in that building on multiple occasions, some of the better and others for the worse, and almost all of them alongside an old friend. Little did he know that the man who was currently invading his memories, was the very same man rushing down the courthouse stairs. At first glance, one wouldn't think twice upon seeing the man rush down the stairs. He was dressed in baggy, neutral colored clothes, with the exception of a neon blue hat, and nothing about him stood out in particular.

Edgeworth was different however; something about this man pulled the prosecutor's eyes to him. The man's face and hair were shielded, for he was looking down and all of his hair was covered by a (obnoxious, in Edgeworth's opinion) bright blue cap. It had some sort of words on it, but Edgeworth was too far away to make them out. It also had a familiar button on it, one that pulled at the corner of his memory.

_Ema…. _Edgeworth's keen memory recalled. _She had a button like that….years ago._

Miles continued to stare curiously at the man as he and detective Gumshoe approached the courthouse. As if willing the mysterious man to look up, he did. Before their eyes could meet, the man fell, slipping on the wet stairs, and tumbled down.

"D-Detective!" Edgeworth shouted in reaction to the painful looking fall.

"I'm on it sir!" Compliant, the detective handed the umbrella to Edgeworth and raced ahead, closing in on an unsuspecting Phoenix Wright.

DIVIDE

_No…_Phoenix thought as he smacked down onto the concrete_. No, no! He can't see me! _Grunting, he forced his stinging body slightly off the ground. It felt as if gravity increased on him tenfold. Suddenly, he felt a powerful force hoist him up to his feat. It was Gumshoe, who had lifted him up from the ground by his underarms.

"Hey, you ok, pal? Ho, ho hoh, that was some nasty spill."

"Uh, y-yeah, thanks." Nick managed to spit out, while struggling to pull himself away from the detective.

"Hey…hang on there, pal." Phoenix felt himself get spun around by the shoulders, now facing detective Gumshoe. Gumshoe studied his face, a stern expression on in his eyes. Phoenix could practically hear the gears in the detective's head turning ever so slowly. "Haven't I seen you somewhere before…?"

"No, no, we've never met." Phoenix responded quickly, turning his head at an angle, in an attempt to hide his identity from the man before him. Forcing himself out of the detective's grasp, he turned an began to walk away. Phoenix mentally thanked the detective for being so spacey. This was the reason why his pay was continuously getting cut. _Close call….at least it wasn't….._

Before his thought could be finished a hand caught his shoulder from behind. Chills raced up his spine as a familiar voice reached his ears.

"Are you alright?" Said the voice with a, concerned, yet undeniably smooth tone.

_Edgeworth._ Nick silently thanked himself for keeping his back turned, at for not shaving this morning. His attire also helped the situation. He prayed that his identity wouldn't be revealed. He couldn't face him. Not now. It had been too long.

* * *

Edgeworth waited anxiously for a response from the strange man. _Surely the fall was painful,_ Edgeworth thought, trying hard not to see himself lauinching down the stairs, resulting in his prosecutorial attire to be befouled. _Never! I won't allow it!_

Something took him by surprise, however. As Edgeworth was about to repeat himself, he felt the shoulder of the man rise under his hand, as if he was forcing out a nervous sigh. The prosecutor felt his voice subconsciously go softer. "…are you-?"

But he was cut off. He felt the warm grasp of the mysterious man's hand enclose over his. Speechless, Edgeworth found himself unable to assess the situation, his mind went blank. The man's back still turned and his face a mystery, the man's hand tightened over Edgeworth's, which was still resting on the man's shoulder. Slowly, Edgeworth felt his hand getting pushed away, sliding off the man's shoulder.

The moment Edgeworth felt his hand released and his palm slide off the man's shoulder, his hand felt cold, as if the life had been pulled from it.

Meanwhile, detective Gumshoe was on his way back to his partner's side when something shiny caught his eye. It was where the man known as Phoenix Wright had landed, but the less-than-diligent detective paid the fact no mind. He reached for it, claiming a translucent green item of sorts. The shape looked familiar, a solid pale green item, in the shape of a nine.

Edgeworth however had made his way to the top of the stairs, called out to the detective, his face still flushed with embarrassment.

Casting the thought of the familiar stone aside, Gumshoe hustled up the stairs, dubbing his newfound prize, 'a piece of hard candy'.

* * *

**Personally I'm rather proud of tihs chapter. And, as the more devoted Ace Attorney fans would notice, their are a SHIT TON of referances to cases and stuff in here. (ie; Gumshoe does think Nick's magatama is a piece of hard candy, as he says many times throughout the series.) Those of you who get them all will get a cookie.**

**Review! and gaze upon my editor's beautiful art if you get the chance! (username: Rewrry)**

**Ta ta for now~**


	3. II

**A/N:** Ok, so I'm not even going to address that I haven't updated sense the dawn of time. Cry about it. Or don't. Eh.

Anyway, so here's chapter two…and it seems I've gained some new watchers. That makes my insides smile. You don't even know. My small intestine looks like a big happy face right about now.

I don't own anything. Curse you, Capcom.

also please excuse those really obnoxious '~oOo~' divides. They're quite dumb, but FF was being dumb and wouldn't let me use the one I wanted. Oh well.

And _italics _= _thoughts_

Enjoy~

* * *

Quietly critiquing the legal battle before him, Edgeworth's dark gaze drifted from prosecution to defense as objections and rebuttals were forcefully exchanged. As he watched, a mixture of fond memories and bitter flashbacks came over him. His eyes began to drift as he blankly stared across the courtroom, reminiscing as he tuned out the noise.

"You feeling ok, Mr. Edgeworth?" Gumshoe's pathetic attempt at a whisper managed to drag him back into reality.

"Hm? Yes, I'm fine," he responded quickly, re-immersing himself in the trial and on prosecutor Klavier Gavin. "Impressive. I wasn't expecting this." He commented, his smooth voice softly whispering to the detective.

"What, the prosecutor?" Gumshoe scoffed. "You really must not be feeling well, sir. Come on, _look _at this guy. He's completely submitting to the defense." Gumshoe spoke loudly and disapprovingly, violently gesturing towards the prosecution and earning glares from others trying to hear the trial over him.

"You're looking at this from the wrong angle, detective." Edgeworth began as he contemplated the trial. _This trial...or any other trial is about finding the truth..._ Edgeworth recalled his days of discovery, when he learned what it truly meant to be a lawyer. "Verdicts are not prizes to be won." He felt a sinking sense of guilt as he spoke. He once wore his perfect win record quite proudly. _Disgusting._ He mentally scorned his former self. "In any case, look closer Gumshoe. He's not giving in to the defense, he's working with it." Edgeworth sighed, once again recalling how he too worked alongside the defense. True, in the beginning it was all for the guilty verdicts, and the victories. But as they progressed, they began to work together harmoniously - as partners, both seeking the truth.

Gumshoe shrugged, and they continued to observe the trial in silence. As the trial came to its end, the defendant Larry Butz was found not guilty(again), and prosecutor Gavin left the courtroom with his head held high, wearing his loss like a badge of honor.

**~oOo~**

The main courthouse lobby was now filled with lawyers and spectators, hustling in and out of the doors as many of the days trials concluded. After briefly scanning the room, Miles Edgeworth found and approached Klavier Gavin. "Prosecutor Gavin." He stated flatly to the man's back, the blond casually turning to greet him.

"Jaa..." The moment he saw Edgeworth the younger man's jaw nearly dropped. He instantly collected himself, standing a little taller and forcing an awkwardly pleasant expression. "Prosecutor Edgeworth! It's an honor to meet you." He extended his arm, his uncomfortably formal demeanor slowly lifting as he spoke. They shared a firm handshake as he introduced himself. "Klavier Gavin."

"Likewise. I actually just observed your last trial, Mr. Gavin." Edgeworth unknowingly glared at the poor man, making the simple conversation feel more like an interrogation.

"Well I don't see it as a loss, really." Klavier spoke, laughing lightly to himself, casually shrugging in response. "Turns out he was innocent."

_Larry is anything but innocent..._ Edgeworth thought grudgingly to himself. "Your style surprises me, frankly. You persue the truth. A rare trait among young prosecutors."

"Thank you, sir."

"As to why I'm here-" Edgeworth began before being brutally interrupted by a glass-shattering squeal. The three violently turned towards the shriek, but before Edgeworth could react he found himself trapped in a near suffocating embrace.

"Mr. Edgeworth! It's so good to see you! Why didn't you tell me you'd be at the courthouse? Ahh, forget it, I'm so glad to see you." The familiar feminine voice squealed happily in his ears, still ringing from the scream.

"Get off him fraulien!" Klavier roughly grabbed the girl by the shoulders, hauling her off him. "Do you have any idea who this is? You can't just..." The blond scolded, embarrassed by her behavior.

"Calm down Mr. Gavin, it's alright." Edgeworth interjected, casually adjusting his cravat, a gentle smile on his face. "It's good to see you too Ema. It's been a while."

Ema grinned and hugged him again happily. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well, I was asked to observe one of Mr. Gavin's trials..."

"That glimmerous fop?" She scoffed, lazily gesturing to Klavier, who suddenly became alarmingly pale as the detective badmouthed him to Miles Edgeworth. "Don't waste your time he's just_ awful_," she sneered, a teasing smirk on her lips. "And detective Gumshoe!" Her eyes lit up once more as she fondly greeted him.

"Ahaha it's good to see you remember me, _Detective_ Skye." Gumshoe laughed heartily, recalling Ema's younger days when she aspired to be a forensic detective. Ema's attention however, quickly returned to Edgeworth.

"Did you get to see Mr. Wright before the trial?" She asked innocently, completely unaware that the moment she spoke of Phoenix Wright, all other matters flooding Edgeworth's mind suddenly became a second priority, including his evaluation of Klavier.

"Wright was here?"

"You must have missed him. He left just before the trial started."

_Wright..._Edgeworth's mind raced, along with a sickening feeling rising in his stomach. _Why would he not stay for Larry's trial? That's unlike him...and more importantly, why wasn't he heading the defense himself?_ It did seem odd, Edgeworth deduced. Even if Phoenix was training a new protégé, he would surely take the defense into his own hands if the defendant was someone close to him. Endless question raided his mind.

"You don't look so good, pal." Gumshoe commented, laying a hand on the prosecutor's shoulder, concerned.

"I'm fine, detective." Edgeworth said quickly. "Who was leading the defense?"

"Herr Forehead..." Klavier muttered under his breath, he was unused to being anything but the center of attention, earning him a sharp elbow to the ribs from Ema.

"That's Apollo Justice, Mr. Wright's protégé." Ema said, ignoring Klavier's pained whimper. "Did you want to meet him? I think he's still here..." Ema trotted off to the defendant lobby in an attempt to find Apollo, but it was Klavier who spotted Apollo on his way out the door. He jogged over casually, catching Apollo by the shoulder. All the while, Edgeworth was engaged in a mental battle with himself, logic versus denial.

_There's no reason Wright would refuse to represent Larry...and even if he did allow his trainee to defend him, he'd be obligated to at least observe the trial of someone representing the Wright and Co. Law Office... _Edgeworth turned a ghostly pale, chills racing up his spine. _I do recall the chief saying something about an attorney being stripped of his badge...but...there's no way it could ever be..._

"Mr. Edgeworth, this is Apollo Justice." Klavier unknowingly interrupted, gesturing towards the young man in red with a threatening hairstyle. "Herr Forehead, Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth." The two shook hands, Apollo clearly nervous.

"Your mentor is Phoenix Wright, correct?" Edgeworth began bluntly, his face stern, all business.

"Y-yeah..." Apollo stammered awkwardly. He was clearly uncomfortable, shifting gracelessly as he spoke. "He left just before the trial-"

"Does he normally observe your trials?"

"Um, sometimes, when it's an important case." Apollo slowly gained confidence as they spoke, a usual occurrence when he was in court. A fiery glow grew in his eyes, a glow which reminded Edgeworth all too much of Phoenix. "Why so many questions?" Apollo continued. "Did you need to see him?"

Apollo's responses slowly confirmed his fears, as a solemn expression overcame Edgeworth's face. He paused, fighting the pieces that were slowly coming together in his head.

"Mr. Edgeworth!" Ema hurried back into the lobby, greeting Apollo with a friendly smile. Her cheerful expression fell however, when she saw Edgeworth's face. She gently lay a hand on his shoulder, as if to realize how much he didn't know about Phoenix. "Mr. Edgeworth….there's something you need to know about Mr. Wright…"

"Don't say anything." Edgeworth snapped, a heavy anxiety in his eyes. He massaged his temple, releasing a heavy sigh. He needed to find Phoenix. "Where can I find him?"

"He's probably hanging around the office," Apollo began, more confused than ever as Edgeworth motioned for Gumshoe to follow him and headed out. Apollo followed anxiously, the curiosity of the stranger's intrest in his mentor driving him forward. He paused before a young girl, who had been sitting near the exit in a strange magician get up. "You ready?"

"Yep! Who was that?" She chirped happily, skipping after him as they left the courthouse.

All had left, leaving Klavier and Ema alone in the now empty lobby. Ema sighed, silently wishing good luck to Edgeworth. Stretching lazily, she turned to face Klavier. "Why did he want to see you anyway?"

"Well, he didn't actually say…" He trailed off, slightly disappointed. He was the center of attention until Edgeworth was reminded of Phoenix Wright.

"Don't pout." Ema said frankly. "Aww, did the big glimmerous prosecutor not get enough attention…?" she crooned, her voice dripping with sarcasm. His gaze locked with hers, a faux glare in his eyes. Klavier quickly took the opportunity to close the distance between them, sensually slinking his arms around her waist.

"No, I didn't." He spoke seriously, now towering over her, their bodies lightly touching. She squirmed awkwardly in his embrace, her face flushing a light pink.

"K-Klavier, stop!"

"Where did we leave off before the trial…?" He purred in her ear, his husky breath warming her neck. She averted her eyes from his shyly as he gently rubbed her lower back and hips. She blushed, feeling herself slowly begin to crave his touch.

"I hate you." She forced out, quietly gasping as his lips brushed her neck. He chuckled against her skin, and spoke again, his lips now hovering just above her own.

"Really?" He said with a teasing tone as he gently pressed his forehead against hers. "Show me."

**~oOo~**

The wheels of a bright red sports car gave a small squeal as the car came to a quick halt outside what formally was the Wright and Co. Law Office. Edgeworth hustled to the door of the Wright Anything Agency and grunted angrily to find the front door locked. He felt nervous, a sudden desperation washing over him. He needed to see Phoenix.

He was about to suggest Gumshoe help him break in the door when Apollo Justice came jogging over, the young girl following close behind. "Whoa take it easy! I have a key!" He called nervously. "What's the hurry?" He mumbled, annoyed as he unlocked the door. The four quickly filed inside, Edgeworth quickly calling for Phoenix.

"Wright!" He called, stumbling over the various collections of junk strewn about the office. No response.

"Hey I found something!" Gumshoe called from what was once Mia Fey and Phoenix Wright's office. As Edgeworth and Apollo entered, Gumshoe handed Apollo a letter addressed to him. He opened it hastily, Edgeworth and Gumshoe anxiously watching.

"Apollo," He began to read the letter aloud. "It seems something has come up, so I'll be gone for a while. Think of it as another secret mission. Keep an eye on Trucy for me, will you? –

Phoenix" When he finished, Apollo looked up, awaiting a response.

Edgeworth stood there silently, contemplating where on earth Phoenix could have run off to, and why for that matter. He eventually looked up at Apollo. "Trucy…?" And at that moment, the young girl ran in the room, her voice exasperated.

"Is daddy really gone _again, _Polly? When will he be back?" She whined childishly.

"D-daddy…? You can't mean…" Edgeworth stammered, color quickly draining from his face.

"Oh, sorry Mr. Edgeworth." Apollo chuckled, gesturing toward the girl. "This is Trucy Wright, Mr. Wright's daughter."

Edgeworth's legs nearly gave way as he slumped down into the chair behind him, his pupils wide with shock. He held his head in his hands, a sudden anger growing in him, an anger that he himself didn't quite understand. "Wright…" He muttered as Gumshoe laid a hand on his shoulder gently.

"Don't you worry Mr. Edgeworth." Gumshoe said a determined expression in his eyes. "We'll find him."

* * *

**A/N:** Ah, the plot thickens….

Um, a big thanks to my ever faithful editors mLe and Rewbox. They're literally the only reason I don't publicly butcher the English language.

Oh and about that Klavier and Ema getting all hot n' heavy…that's really all for them in this story, unless anyone would like to see more of them? If so I'd be happy to, or even write a nice 'M' rated spin off. Just ask.

Review please! Until next time…

**-G.G.**


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